Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. of Cleveland submitted a preliminary proxy statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission revealing its intentions to nominate just nine candidates for the 11 open spots on its board of directors.

The producer of iron ore and metallurgical coal has been engaged in a proxy fight with New York-based activist shareholder Casablanca Capital LP, which announced its plans to nominate six candidates for the board in a preliminary proxy filed March 6. Casablanca publicly began the proxy fight in January by calling for the company to split in two.

Cliffs declined to comment further on its decision to nominate just nine director candidates. According to Cliffs’ May 23 filing, the remaining two spots on the board would be filled by candidates not named by the board, and at this time, Casablanca is the only shareholder to have nominated alternate candidates.

The company expects cumulative voting will be in effect for the annual meeting. The meeting is scheduled for July 29.

Cliffs on Tuesday, May 27, announced plans to further cut its 2014 capital expenditures by about 25% or $100 million. It now expects capital expenditures to be $275 million to $325 million. Cliffs already announced plans to cut capital expenditures by more than 50% earlier this year.

In a news release, the company said the cuts would affect all its reporting segments, but that Eastern Canadian Iron Ore and North American Coal would make up 75% of that.